Why Ursa Major is Betting Big on Additive Manufacturing

In this episode of the Additive Snack Podcast, host Fabian Alefeld is joined by Thomas Pomorski, Director of Additive Manufacturing at Ursa Major. Tom discusses his extensive background in additive manufacturing, including his work at Bechtel Plant Machinery and Penn United. He shares insights into Ursa Major's journey in scaling propulsion manufacturing for space and defense, emphasizing the importance of insourcing, quality systems, and the iterative approach in additive development. Tom delves into the challenges and solutions in scaling additive manufacturing, including complex parameter strategies, automation, and flexible manufacturing. He also highlights Ursa Major’s products, such as the Hadley and Draper engines, and the company's innovative approach to solid rocket motor manufacturing. The episode concludes with Tom's advice for companies looking to scale additive manufacturing operations and a look into the future of the industry. 01:46 Tom's Journey into Additive Manufacturing 02:04 Early Career and First Additive Roles 04:38 Joining Ursa Major and Initial Challenges 10:11 Vertical Integration and Scaling Challenges 20:14 Advanced Additive Strategies and Collaborations 26:28 Automating Build Setups with Python 26:58 Challenges in Hiring Additive Process Engineers 28:06 Building a Passionate and Skilled Team 29:30 Leveraging Local Talent and Resources 31:17 Collaborating Across the Aerospace and Defense Industry 32:50 URS's Product Portfolio and Additive Manufacturing 35:34 Flexible Manufacturing for Solid Rocket Motors 39:07 Future Developments in Additive Manufacturing 41:35 The Importance of Material Development 46:29 Scaling Operations and Advice for Newcomers

You can listen to Why Ursa Major is Betting Big on Additive Manufacturing online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Why Ursa Major is Betting Big on Additive Manufacturing is an episode from Additive Snack by Fabian Alefeld.

This episode is 54:09 long.

This episode was published on Jul 23, 2025.

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